


Toy Soldiers and Paper Crowns

by hopefilledlies



Series: Wonderland AU [5]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Timeline, Ambushes and Sneak Attacks, Animal Instincts, Animal Traits, Arguing, Blood and Injury, Fights, Fluff and Angst, Hypnotism, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Manipulation, Possessive Behavior, Protectiveness, Rebellion, Revolution, Rivalry, Rumors, Secret Relationship, Wonderland AU, alternatively: ouma decides kiibo deserves better and decides to go with the most drastic solution, it’s referenced but it doesn’t actually happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-02-21 17:34:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18707098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopefilledlies/pseuds/hopefilledlies
Summary: Kokichi laughed, near hysterical as his grin grew somehow wider. Realisation hit him in a wave: he was actually doing this.Why hadn’t he done this sooner?





	1. Dusk

**Author's Note:**

> This is pretty sloppy plot wise, but I was mostly just aiming to get the vague idea in the air. It’s set as an alternate timeline to Kaede’s Adventures in Wonderland, with a focus on Kiibouma, so this isn’t canon to the other fics in the au.
> 
> This was originally going to be a one shot, but I decided to cover it in three parts, so technically, this chapter is stand alone!
> 
> If you want to scream at me, my tumblr is @lavendrrabbitholes

Somedays, a rebellion seemed like a lovely idea.

The current Queen of Hearts was, to put it simply, a bitch. She was fickle and plain outside her never ending thirst for executions. Which, for the record, was incredibly unfortunate, because it caused her to continuously look for any stupid reason to sentence anyone to death. 

And not only that, but she was very clearly a bad ruler. She refused to let anyone else make decisions, and run her employees to the ground. Kokichi wasn’t blind - he noticed the way Kiibo slumped into him when he managed to force him to take the time to rest. The white rabbit was exhausted. 

The only reason Tsumugi was even ruling was because she was born into the role, and had the fear her ancestors created to back her up. In short, it was completely ridiculous. 

Kokichi groaned loudly at the thought, stretching out on his back completely as he raked one hand through his bangs. The couch was stiff and dusty, but familiar. 

“Could you shut it?” Miu yapped from her workbench, stationed in front of him. She shot a glare at him over her shoulder, ignoring the burst of dust that rose from her current tinkering.

“Oh, I’m sorry, are you the one with heightened hearing?” He drawled lazily, flashing a fang at her as his ear twitched in emphasis. He shifted forwards, sitting up as his grin grew devious. “I was thinking about revolution. Y’know, death of the monarchy, freedom of the people, yada yada yada.”

Kokichi could see her roll her eyes, even though she had her back to him. She scoffed, tone borderline mocking. “You’re really lookin’ to fuck yourself into a nice deep grave, huh?”

He giggled, eyes crinkling at the edges. “Can’t be scared of death if you know what’s beyond!” The cat chittered, and with a swish of his tail, he was gone.  
_

“Kiibuuun!”

The rabbit in question slowed, ears perking as he turned around to see none other than Kokichi Ouma himself, dangling from a branch by the tail. His arms were outstretched towards him, grin just a fraction softer and pupils dilated. 

“Kokichi.” He sighed with the smallest curl of his lips, just a word of acknowledgement. It would be a lie to try and claim he wasn’t happy to see the cat. He hesitated, before quickly stepping closer, and relaxing at the way Kokichi’s arms instantly went to settle around his shoulders despite the odd, upside down position. The cat pressed his nose firmly against Kiibo’s, nuzzling him in affectionate greeting. 

“My beloved, it has been too long since you’ve visited me.” Kokichi sighed, full of false grief as he feigned distress. Of course, it looked silly rather than sad, considering the fact that he was suspended upside down with a hand held dramatically over his forehead. “Has the Queen Bee been keeping you away from me?”

It was a joke, of course, and they both knew it. However, with the way the cat felt Kiibo’s shoulders tense under his arms and saw the flicker of indecision over his face, he knew the playful guess held some sort of uncomfortable truth.

The truth. What a bitter, ugly thing it is. 

Kokichi disappeared, and for the briefest moment, it sent Kiibo into a muted panic, surprised by the sudden lack of companionship. Before he could dwell about it for long, however, he was back with arms wrapped around his torso and face pressed to his neck, chest to chest. If they focused enough, they could feel each other’s heartbeat.

“It’s true, isn’t it?” Kokichi breathed softly into the whispy white strands of hair at the base of Kiibo’s neck. He liked to run his fingers through them during lazy naps, twirl them around the tips of his claws. 

Kiibo didn’t respond, but he knew what that meant, so he continued.

“Y’know, just because you work for her doesn’t mean she can overwork you.” He mused, hair falling into his eyes and casting an ominous shadow over his face. His voice lowered, quieter. “Did she find out about our encounters?”

Kokichi was well aware that he was technically a wanted criminal, but generally didn’t care much about the fact. Seeing as he could decide how much of himself was at a place at any given time, executing him was near impossible. Kiibo, on the other hand, didn’t have that perk, which meant he could be in danger if it was discovered that he was linked to the cat. Especially considering he was a high ranking member of the court. 

“I’m not overworking.” The rabbit quipped back, though his tone betrayed his lie. Kiibo wrapped his arms around Kokichi in response, burying his face in his hair between his ears. It was soft, comforting. Plus, with the position, he could whisper and every word would still be crystal clear to Kokichi. “She didn’t, but I think she has her suspicions. She’s been asking about you more often. Things like if I’ve seen you at all or not. I avoided the forest for a bit to be safe, because plainly lying would make me uncomfortable.”

Kokichi nodded, before his expression soured, flicking his tail sharply to the side. “You deserve better.”

Kiibo laughed lightly, pulling away and ignoring the slight scratch of claws through his clothes as Kokichi tried to keep him in the hug. “I appreciate the concern but I’m fine, really.”

Kokichi thought back to his ponderings on rebellion.

Kiibo would make a nice Queen, wouldn’t he? 

_

Kokichi, being the charming wanted trickster he was, had several friends among the Royal Guard. It was all rather funny to him, how nobody really found him to be a real threat except for Her Majesty. 

He had visited these friends of his, deciding to run a little survey, and as it turned out, nobody particularly liked the Queen. There were even rumors that the King had considered overthrowing her but, well, he clearly never ended up doing so.

Or maybe he had been planning to, but it didn’t particularly matter to Kokichi. What mattered to him was that he was going to overthrow Tsumugi himself if nobody else planned to, and he had now acquired an army of his own. He lovingly dubbed it DICE. 

Sure, it was small, but Kokichi was confident they could pull this off.

However, he had been getting word of a thorn that might be in his side if he continued. So, naturally, the most reasonable thing for the cat to do was to take care of it.

_

Kaito jolted at the sudden feeling of teeth sinking into his wing, whipping around to see a certain cat clinging to him, having bitten down firmly on it. 

The gryphon growled, ruffling his feathers fiercely in an attempt to throw him off. Still, Kokichi held firm, grin widening as he sunk his fangs deeper into the flesh of the wing. His eyes glinted in warning, and Kaito recognised that if they continued like this, he might rip it off. 

With a begrudging groan, he stopped his determined shaking, fixing the other with a glare. “What do you want, Kokichi?”

Kokichi smugly released his wing, allowing Kaito to curl it in front of himself, running his fingers through the feathers to assess the damage. “Well, a little birdie tells me you’re a big deal around here. And I have plans so…” He leaned forward, eyes flashing yellow and teal for a brief moment. “I thought we could make a little compromise.”

Kaito reeled, turning his head quickly to the left and using his other wing to shield his face. “Jupiter! Do you greet everyone you meet with those eyes?”

The cat snickered, leaning back and glancing down idly at his claws. “Obviously. I’m evil, remember?” Even so, the vibrant colours faded back to indigo and violet as his grin lessened, settling to the most serious expression he could manage. “Look, cutting to the chase; I’m planning to overthrow the Queen.”

Kaito stiffened, and his wings fell to reveal a horror stricken face. “Are you stupid?!” 

“Nope! That honour goes to you, idiot.” He cooed playfully, pointing an accusatory finger at him. His tail curled against the small of his back. “Moo-Moo can’t touch me, so I’m not in any real danger if I try anything.”

The gryphon wrinkled his nose in annoyance, opening his mouth to refute with some random point, but Kokichi promptly cut him off. He had to secure Kaito’s position on the board, otherwise this entire plan could be in danger. 

“Besides, don’t you want to free Maki?” He murmured, voice lower as he watched closely, Kaito’s eyes widening. The mention of the imprisoned dragon must have hit a nerve with him, his feathers and fur spiking up. 

“Don’t bring her into this!” 

“It’s true though, isn’t it?” The cat challenged, malice growing more and more apparent in his expressions. “Little Miss Jabberwock won’t get a chance to live free with Tsumugi still on the throne, and we both know it.”

“So?” Kaito huffed defensively, baring his fangs. “I don’t trust you! You might backstab me, or Maki, and that aside, this plan is fucking insane to begin with.”

He needed to change tactics. 

“You like to believe, right, Kaito?” Kokichi mused, raising an eyebrow. His voice dropped to a saccharine whisper. “Why don’t you believe in me for once? I could get you Maki’s freedom.” 

It took convincing, but Kokichi didn’t expect any less. Kaito was as stubborn as a gryphon could be. 

_

Kiibo’s house was a quaint little place. A small, cosy building that had belonged to his family since the birth of time. 

Kokichi was well acquainted with his house, and more specifically, his bed. It was a double bed, with cotton pillows, silk sheets and a fleece throw. The mattress was soft, and in short, it was a nice nest of sorts. 

The cat was currently curled up in the sea of fabrics, with Kiibo quietly folding his uniform from where he was sat at the edge of the bed. Kokichi could feel the muted stress in the air, and observed the rabbit’s frazzled appearance as he got up to put his uniform into his closet. He returned a few moments later, going to shuffle under the covers with him, as if trying hide from the world.

Though, Kokichi wasn’t close to complaining. One good thing about Kiibo being tired was that he became a lot more affectionate and a lot less worried about formalities. 

Kiibo nosed his ear as he wrapped his arms around the other, Kokichi wrapping his tail around his waist in return. “What’s gotten you so cuddly, Kiiboy?”

He hummed in response, sleepily as blue eyes slid shut. “I had to do more than usual today. There are some rumours going around that are worrying everyone in the court.”

Kokichi blinked curiously, tilting his head despite knowing Kiibo couldn’t see him. “Rumours? What kind?” He had his theories, of course, but why risk being wrong when he could get a straight answer?

“People think there are plans for a rebellion being formed.” He replied softly, peeling his eyes open to glance at his partner with a small frown. “Have you heard anything about it?”

Kokichi thought about his interaction with Kaito, a few weeks prior.

He thought of his hushed whispers with DICE, usually when they were on guard duty, to raise the stakes.

He thought of the nights he watched the castle breathe, and the daybreaks he scavenged from Miu’s dramatic weapon stash while she was passed out on her consistently dusty workbench.

He thought of his plans to corner and destroy the monarchy, from the outside in. 

“Nope, ‘fraid not.” He said instead, smiling impishly as he lied flawlessly through his teeth. “But I might look into it. Rebellion sounds like fun!” 

This was all for the best.


	2. Midnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dominos are all set up in a line. It only takes one move to topple them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternatively: oh boy here we go

It was midnight, and the plan was set into motion.

Well, supposedly. Wonderland didn’t have the most consistent night and day cycle, and even if it did, Kokichi didn’t personally believe in time. But that was an irrelevant detail - as it so happened, when making plans with others, time was a good enough marker for when things should happen.

Kiibo was outside the rabbit hole. Kokichi knew this because the rabbit had told him directly, but also because he had escorted him to the end of Wonderland. Invisible, yes, but it was purely to ensure he got to the rabbit hole safely. If anything went south in the castle, the last thing he wanted was for Kiibo to be caught in the middle.

Everything had been set up perfectly up until this point. The only thing that could really sabotage things now was if an overworlder scared Kiibo into hopping home early. Sure, outsiders like Shuichi and Kaede were fun to toy with, but not in the middle of a rebellion. That would just throw a wrench into his plans. Stars, he hoped they don’t happen to spot Kiibo and decide to pay a visit.

The cat materialised smoothly in the castle, well acquainted with the layout from long forgotten business trips with Kirumi and more recent stake outs. Really, he had always been a frequent visitor of the royal grounds.

His eyes darted around the area, pleased to find nobody in the vicinity. That must mean Kaito wasn’t useless, and was able to run a distraction as promised.

Kokichi paced slowly, swishing his tail leisurely as he strolled down the corridor, acting as if he wasn’t about to discreetly spark a new age for Wonderland. The current task on the to-do list was to subdue the King. That wasn’t to imply he needed to be subdued, or that he was a threat, merely that Kokichi wanted to tread carefully. This plan was immaculate.

Though, he was rather excited to meet the King like this. There were whispers that Rantaro Amami, while appearing relaxed and complacent in public appearances, could be rather intimidating.

He paused in front of an extravagant door, ears perking as he picked up breathing beyond it. His grin grew.

Kokichi was always eager to draw reactions out of people.

_

He hung lazily from the chandelier in the room, invisible from onlookers. Rantaro had went down laughably easy, though Kokichi suspected that the King had allowed him to do so. He had no idea why, but it made things sail smoother for him, so he wasn’t going to pick that decision apart too much.

Currently, the man lay on the bed, looking more like he was sleeping than anything. He had a few scratches, but that was purely for appearance’s sake. It would be useless if he looked like he was just taking a nap.

Kokichi watched in mild amusement as an attendant entered the room, having received no answer after several rounds of knocking. The attendant in question - the two of Hearts, he noted - gaped in shock at the form of their limp King. Then, within moments, they were scampering out, calling for assistance and the Queen.

The cat smiled mischievously, gradually fading back into existence. Now he was curious to see how the Queen would react to an unidentified danger.

His response came ten minutes later, in the form of a giant black dragon sailing past the window. The two made eye contact for a moment, Kokichi’s lips curling in a way that shouldn’t be possible. The dragon disappeared with a magnificent beat of her wings, and for a brief moment, the cat wondered if she would leave him alone.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

The door of the room flew open, barely clinging to its hinges, and there stood Maki Harukawa. She wasn’t a huge black dragon anymore, but frankly, she didn’t look any less intimidating with her sharpened claws, leathery wings and curled horns.

Now, from his previous encounters with Maki and the current situation, it wasn’t surprising that she lunged towards him, instantly throwing them both into combat.

Claws wrapped around his neck, squeezing as pinpricks of pain burst along his throat. He huffed, pupils constricting as he reached forward to scratch harshly at Maki’s wrists, hissing. Fading from reality and through the dragon’s claws, he reappeared behind her, swiftly reaching out to grip her wings. He tugged harder than intended in an attempt to limit her movement, breathing harder as his throat ached uncomfortably.

Maki growled at him, trying to twist around to grab him but only achieving a wince at the strain on her wings. She flexed and flapped them irritatedly to shake him off, and Kokichi decided he should bring up the plan before he risked actually getting his throat ripped out.

“Y’know, Kaito is in on this plan, so if you want to be on his good side, maybe stop trying to stop me?” Maki froze at the statement, before snapping her gaze over her shoulder, eyes shining dangerously.

“You’re obviously lying. Don’t act like Kaito’s that much of an idiot.” She murmured poisonously, flexing her claws as Kokichi simply giggled in response.

“Obviously, you don’t know Kaito very well. He is that much of an idiot.” He hummed confidently, before his eyes narrowed at the red collar around the dragon’s neck. He tentatively released one of her wings in favour of gripping the leather and yanking back, earning a surprised, barely suppressed squawk. Kokichi felt unbelievably excited by the noise - Maki was know to be very reclusive and quiet.

“Besides, even without his blessing.” He leaned casually into her ear, fading to a simple grin to avoid her thrashing wings. “This plan will benefit you!”

Kokichi knew she hated the idea of listening to him. He was well aware she despised him, especially because of how easily he escaped ownership in contrast to her. But Maki also recognised that she couldn’t fight a consistently disappearing force.

She let out a long sigh, gritting her teeth.

“Fine.”

_

Tsumugi was sure she had hired more competent people as her staff than this. Yet in her hour of need, with the idea of some rebellion becoming closer to reality, a majority of them were missing.

The nine who actually did answer to her calls had reasoned that the best course of action was to go to the unused tower while they scoped out the main castle for danger. The Queen authorised this plan, which lead to her eyeing the cobwebs lining the walls in disapproval as she stepped into the tower.

A slam took her by surprise, and she turned just as the door clicked. She furrowed her eyebrows, moving to check the handle but finding the door wouldn’t budge. She was stuck.

Tsumugi knocked on the door, hearing shuffling from the guards. “What is the meaning of this?”

A snicker drifted through the door, but more chillingly, a chuckle resounded from behind her.

“Just an unreality check, Your Majesty.”

Her eyes widened as she turned back around.

“You-”

_

Kiibo knew something was wrong, the moment he stepped through the true entrance to Wonderland.

There was something hushed in the air, and as he continued down his usual route, he grew increasingly suspicious. He picked up squeaky whispers from what he could only assume was the flowers as he passed.

“Is she dead?”

Is who dead? It made anxiety begin to bloom in his chest, but he didn’t explore that feeling. Flowers were known to gossip, right? He was sure it was nothing to worry about.

However, as he continued to make his way back to the castle, to report to the Queen, the whispers only grew. The trio in the garden, constantly participating in tea time, were discussing something about the Queen, with the Hatter in particular speaking so fast Kiibo couldn’t keep up. He heard a commotion in the Duchess’ house, mumbles about a revolution.

Kokichi didn’t meet him in the forest.

He had been bracing himself to hear his voice, hoping he’d show himself with every footstep he took, but the moment never arrived. And as the white rabbit jogged, his mind filled in the gaps and came to the worst conclusion.

Assumptions were dangerous, though, so he didn’t pay much mind.

Yet stood in front of the throne room door, knowing full well that something was amiss - it made him feel genuinely scared. He knew the person behind that door would either soothe or confirm his fears, and he wasn’t prepared for either.

He gripped the handle until his knuckles turned white.

Truth be told, he already knew his worst conclusion was the truth the moment he thought of it.

Slowly, Kiibo began to realise why Kokichi loved lies so much.

_

Kokichi looked comfortable, and oddly in place, sat lounging upon the Queen’s throne. The red of the room’s decor seemed even more obvious in contrast to his purple and monochrome palette.

His eyes lit up at the sight of Kiibo opening the throne room doors. He had been waiting for him in muted excitement, thrilled to reveal his underlying plan. Plus, it had been awfully boring, having to send DICE off to keep the more loyal guards from trying to rebel against the rebellion.

The cat leaped off the throne gracefully, pupils dilating and tail swishing in a show of happiness. That soon changed as he realised that Kiibo’s expression carried betrayal and shock much more prominently than it did any sort of positive emotion.

“You...you overthrew the Queen?” The rabbit asked quietly, tone lost, more to himself than anything else. Still, Kokichi responded, ears twitching in some hidden nervousness. He wasn’t going to start regretting this, not now.

“Yeah, for you!” He justified, beaming as he took a few steps closer. “No more overworking, no more threats of execution or hidden relationships. Doesn’t that sound nice?” He tilted his head, smiling in a mix of gentle and smug.

A hundred things flashed across Kiibo’s face for a few moments - the rabbit was as easy to read as an open book, half the time. Then, his features settled on frustrated, his ears pointing sharply over his shoulders.

“I’m not a traitor.” He said firmly, before huffing as he fiddled with his gloves, as if contemplating something. “I never once complained to you, nor ask you to do anything. This isn’t for me, and you can’t claim it is. This was for your own selfish reasons.”

Kokichi’s fur bristled, and his pupils constricted. The dynamic between the two had completely shifted, to something neither of them had experienced before.

“You don’t know my motives, _Kiiboy_. You may not have said anything, but if you think I’m fucking blind, you have another thing coming.” The cat snarled, shoving a claw in the other’s direction, despite the distance. “Do you really not trust me that much?”

A silence lapsed between them, tense and uncomfortable, before eventually, Kiibo sighed. He tugged his gloves off, bundling them carefully in his pocket.

“Kokichi.” He hesitated for a few moments, before speaking slowly. “You do know that I’d never do anything to hurt you willingly, right?”

Kokichi tilted his head, confused by the sudden change in the conversation, but deciding to roll with it. If all went to plan, Kiibo would accept everything and things would go back to normal.

“Of course.” He grinned, raising an eyebrow. “If that wasn’t true, things would have gotten pretty shitty between us real quick.”

The rabbit’s lips curled into a half smile, if it was even that. He nodded, and peace settled within the throne room.

Kokichi stepped forward, to rush forward and shower his love with his bottled affection, but stopped dead in his tracks as Kiibo turned to face the door, gaze hardening as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Guards! Code Maroon is in effect!”

His world came crashing down, and suddenly all he could see was the only wrench in his plan. The only weak point, the only exception to his meticulous plotting, using that very fact to bring this rebellion to the ground.

Kokichi wasn’t very well known for being completely synced with his raw emotions and instincts, so really, it was completely justified when his immediate reaction was to lunge with outstretched claws.


	3. Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One whole becomes two halves and it all collapses in on itself.

Kiibo turned as he leaped, and the two made eye contact for a millisecond before they were thrown into battle. Instincts overtook any affectionate feelings they had for one another as Kokichi forced him to the ground, claws digging into his shoulders and tearing at his skin and clothes as the rabbit squirmed underneath him. Kiibo gripped one of his wrists, digging his own claws into the flesh and leaving scratches as he tried and failed to tear the grip off his shoulder.

 

Deciding his current course of action wasn’t going to work, Kiibo shifted to pull his leg up and kick the other back. With his legs being much stronger than his upper body, Kokichi was sent back, his claws leaving angry marks and torn fabric down his chest. He latched onto his ankle, claws fighting against the leather of his boot. He stayed still for a moment, to stabilize himself before disappearing with a strained smile.

 

Kiibo was inexperienced in fighting - it was never in his nature, really, and his duties didn’t demand it. He knew he wouldn’t last long against someone who had, not only predator instincts, but also quick reflexes and _teleportation_. Still, at this point, it would be a failure on his own part to just give up - well, really it would be a failure on his own part no matter what he did, considering his loyalty lay in two seperate places, but this was the lesser of two evils.

 

He hopped up quickly, avoiding the possibility of Kokichi materialising on top of him and trapping him instantly. He was on high alert, ears perked and pointed behind his shoulders, though he was well aware that the cat’s teleportation had the handy cover of silence.

 

It was a good move, so it seemed, as Kokichi appeared where he had just been laying, lunging forward to grab at his sleeve. Kiibo stepped backwards quickly to avoid the grip, only for the other’s grin to sharpen mischievously. Kokichi reached out with his right hand once again, and when the rabbit avoided that, he surged forward with his left, using a quick teleportation trick to force him to the ground.

 

As Kiibo hit the floor, slightly dazed, his mind couldn’t help but register the fact that his opponent's tactic had changed. He was being surprisingly gentle. The moves and force behind his actions felt more like a play fight, and that only made his chest tighten, guilt settling in the forefront of his mind.

 

Knees dug into his sides as a tight hold settled around his upper arms. Breath fanned the side of his neck, and as soon as that registered, his instincts took over. Kiibo froze, ears twitching anxiously. Kokichi had surged forward, and now buried his face into the side of his neck. He could feel pinpricks of teeth against his flesh, and for a terrifying moment, he remembered that he was a _predator,_ and if his instincts took over then-

 

He paused above him, and the two were frozen in that moment. It was weird, a tense tenderness between them. Kokichi could taste Kiibo's frantic pulse against his tongue, and Kiibo could feel his weight settled against him. A weight which usually grounded him, and in a twisted sort of way, still did.

 

They exchanged breath, neither speaking, before eventually the cat shifted.

 

"You really don't want this?" He murmured, half muffled due to the fact that he still hadn't lifted his head from his neck. His teeth were still too dangerously close to Kiibo's vein. "Truly?"

 

Kiibo's chest rose and fell heavily for a few moments, eyes clouding. "Kokichi, when have I ever wanted this?" His voice was soft, wavering from instinctual fear but strong in a different way. It was strong in a way that showed his opinion was final. "Wanting to be in charge, hating the Queen - that's always been you. And I know I'm overworked, and I know I'm tired." A breathy chuckle curled from his lips. "To an extent, I know I deserve better. But those meetings in the woods, and quiet evenings in my cottage - that's all us. I don't need a grand gesture. I don't even need rest. I just need you. And I liked the way we were, even if it is unconventional."

 

A beat of silence stretched between them. Kiibo felt the strained smile against his pulse point relax. Kokichi pulled back just barely, only enough for his whisper to sound clear.

 

"Okay."

 

Then everything blurred.

 

Shouts filled the air as the door to the throne room burst open. Kokichi dropped his upper body, releasing Kiibo's upper arms in favour of wriggling his arms around the rabbit. He kept his middle lifted, avoiding contact as he closed his mouth with an audible click of teeth, burying his face into the crook of his neck. Kiibo looked up, twitching as he recognised flashes of black and footsteps were rushing over and-

 

Magenta.

 

The unmistakable tang of iron assaulted his nose as his brain caught up with the fact that there was a _knife_ in Kokichi's back, and he was _bleeding magenta._ The cat giggled hysterically, the noise garbled and wet with blood. He could feel flecks of it stick to his neck as his hands scrambled to grip at the dissolving edges of his lover, his enemy, _his Kokichi_.

 

Kokichi pushed himself up, throwing his head back to grin eerily at Maki, blood bubbling at the sides of his mouth and trickling down his chin. The dragon recoiled, mouth set in a thin line as she grappled for the second blade at her belt, just in case.

 

Kokichi was fading swiftly, and Kiibo was scattered, unable to grasp what was happening and being forced to follow along regardless. The other turned back to him, bloody but genuinely smiling, as he collapsed on top of him in a laughing fit. He hugged Kiibo close, and the rabbit could only cling tighter, endure the sloppiness of the kiss Kokichi gave him. He couldn't breathe, he didn't have the time, he didn't have the _time,_ he didn't have the **_time-_ **

 

He could breathe, but he felt too light.

 

"-bo? Kiibo?"

 

He blinked, eyes blurry despite having never cried. Maki stood in front of him, shoulders slumped in relief with a hand outstretched in forced politeness. He accepted it, letting himself be dragged to his feet. He felt unsteady as his brain registered the fact that Kokichi had disappeared.

 

His stomach twisted and nausea clawed at his throat as he then recognised the taste of blood on the tip of his tongue, and the slick of it smeared across his lips.

 

Kiibo took a deep breath, collecting himself, before smiling weakly at Maki. He promised he would deal with the situation. He sent parties out to search for the Queen. He personally waited for the King to wake. He assisted the King in taking over ruling duties when the Queen wasn't found. He saw that things returned to normal.

 

He returned to his cottage alone that night.

 

It was quiet in a way that it hadn't been for quite some time now. The wooden structure creaked and cried in it's own quiet mourning, and in this near silence, Kiibo finally allowed everything to crash down on him.

 

This was not the lesser of two evils.

 

_

 

Later, Kiibo would realise that Kokichi had had time. He had had the time to teleport away before he got stabbed.

 

_

 

Kiibo appreciated the clockwork routine of his life. It was simple, and easy, and perhaps a bit repetitive, but he didn't mind.

 

Sometimes he'd catch himself crying. He wasn't sure why, but when he realised he was, he was never able to stop himself.

 

Sometimes, when he passed through the woods, he felt empty in a jarring way. Like his clock had skipped an hour with no explanation. He didn't know why.

 

Rantaro was a good King. He allowed for lots of breaks, which resulted in a lot of free time in Kiibo's schedule. He spent this time alone, for the most part, or with Ryoma by the shore, or Kaito. Sometimes, the Inventor would pay him a visit. He wasn't sure why.

 

Sometimes, he spent hours on end, sitting alone in the woods. He didn't know why.

 

Today was one of those wood days. He settled himself under a large tree, bathed in an undertone of purple. He leaned against the trunk of the tree and closed his eyes, crossing his legs and feeling slight disappointment as the emptiness claimed his insides once again.

 

He wasn't sure how long he had been sat there before something shifted.

 

A weight was suddenly in his lap, over his shoulders. Breath ghosted over his cheek as something solid and soft brushed against his knee.

 

A whisper drifted around him.

 

"Wo-ould you look at that! Did a little bunny get lost in my woods?"

 

He remembered why.

 

He opened his eyes, and sitting on top of him, in his full glory, was the Cheshire cat. He was still grinning, his eyes still sparkling, and he was still _alive_.

 

Kiibo knew he had so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to express. He wanted to laugh, and cry, and yell at Kokichi for _leaving him_ and being an utter _idiot_.

 

All that came out, instead, was a choked utterance of his name and a question of how. Kokichi's smile curled, amusement clear in his features as he cupped his face, squishing his cheeks slightly.

 

"Haven't I told you before?" The cat's voice was light, with a teasing lilt as he pressed their noses together in greeting.

 

"Time is fake, y'know?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rebellion arc done! Ya a a y!!
> 
> This chapter took a bit longer to get done because it went through several stages of how bad (aka angsty) the ending actually was. The very first draft was better than this, and the following drafts got progressively worse until I eventually decided this was the best way to wrap it up!


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